The Spirit's Control
by Leowawa
Summary: Sequel to Spirited Away: Beyond the Human World: Although the war has passed, Chihiro needs to control her new powers. By entering the Seishin Academy, she can learn to maintain her powers and adapt to the Spirit World. While evil lurks around, she must keep her secret hidden from her classmates and catch the dark spirit.
1. Her Control

Rubble scratched my face, the earth rumbling as if it was an underground storm. Annoyed by my long black uniform, I tore the bottom away. My palms and knees stung when I fell down earlier, but I didn't care. There was too much going on.

Rushing towards the battlefield, I could barely recognize the arena. Grass and dirt were in heaps, while the roof had shimmers of light leaking through the cracks. "Chihiro!" a voice called out. I turned just as an explosion erupted from behind. Yui was on the ground, trying to drag an unconscious Noboru from the heap of rocks.

"Yui, get everyone out of here!" I yelled, continuing to head towards the center. I could feel Yui's puzzled gaze stare into my back. Oh, that's right. I still haven't told her about my true identity. When this is all over, I'll have to tell everybody.

Distracted, I didn't realize that a chunk of rocks were heading towards me. Something slammed into me, pushing me away from the flying rubble. Hitting the ground, I realized it was Haku. His battered face reminded me of the war a year ago.

Touching my cheek, he asked, "Are you alright?" Breathless, I nodded. As we stood up, I heard a distant scream. Yui? As I was just about to take a step forward, my foot slipped under an explosion. I could hear Haku shouting to me, but the dust and rocks separated us.

My head hit something so hard that I could barely focus. My mind suddenly went blank.

_I didn't know it would turn out like this. I'd just made new friends and gotten control of my powers when another evil spirit came in the way. Will I ever get a break?_

She bolted up from her bed, gasping for air. Wildly looking around to find where she was, beads of sweat trickled down her cheek. Sighing, she tried to calm herself down. _You're in the bathhouse_, she reminded herself.

Pushing the covers away, she stood up. Walking towards the balcony, she decided to cool down. As soon as she slid the door open, a rush of cool air hit her face. It was still night; the sky was decorated with tiny sparkles, with the full moon watching over the lively village.

Footsteps ran across the wooden floor, entering her room. "Chihiro!" the spirit exclaimed. "What are you doing here, we've got customers!" Finding her outside, she blinked in curiosity. Approaching Chihiro, she called her name again.

"Sorry Lin," she apologized, wiping her forehead. "I just took a nap. I'll come down in a minute." Lin frowned. "Did something happen?" The girl shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she lied. "I'll meet you down there."

Once the spirit left, Chihiro knees buckled. Burying herself in the covers, she shivered at the memories of her nightmare. _It's the same thing over and over_, she thought. Flashes of a green field and a mysterious spirit appeared in her mind. Sitting back up, she searched for her clothes in her closet.

Slipping into a yukata, she took my time walking through the hallway. Taking her katana, she gripped it tightly. _It's been a year_, Chihiro realized, watching over the crowded bathhouse by the staircase. "Finally, you're here!" Lin called out grumpily.

Chihiro caught up to the weasel spirit, ignoring her endless scolds. "Geez, you sleep too much," she muttered to herself. Walking away, they passed numerous steaming baths and busy spirits. "We'll have to clean the big one again," Lin explained. Groaning, Chihiro dragged herself towards the end of the room.

Just like she found it seven years ago, the bath tub was filled with muck, grass and mud splattered everywhere. "You ready?" Lin asked confidently, pushing her sleeves up. "Wait," Chihiro argued. Just before Lin could mop the mud away, she turned back to the girl. "What?"

"There's something in the water," Chihiro replied, pointing at the bubbling water. Narrowing her eyes, the lady squinted closer. "Whoever you are, you are not permitted to enter this bath tub!" she announced. Nothing replied.

After a few moments, Lin sighed. "We'll have to pull it out. Get ready." Just as Lin stuck the mop into the murky water, a dark blob splashed out. Sliding across the smooth floor, it hissed. Alarmed, Chihiro drew her sword, prepared to protect Lin. With swift moves, the dark spirit was already spreading its disgusting mud everywhere.

Chasing after it, Chihiro ignored the lady's protest. Running through the bath tubs, she finally caught up with the spirit. However, once she raised her katana, it turned around, opening its mouth. Flinging its tongue at her, it only managed to cut her cheek.

Cutting down, the spirit immediately disappeared. But due to her lack of control of the power, black flames erupted from the blade. Nearly burning everything, papers and spirits frantically panicked around the bathhouse.

"Chihiro!" a voice shouted. Ignoring the scold, she begged herself to take the flames out. The flickering heat slowly slowed down, disappearing from the building. "What is going on here?" a croaking voice demanded. Pushing her way through, a witch appeared before them.

Grabbing her hand, the witch dragged Chihiro through the murmuring crowd. Although many gave her looks of pity and curiosity, many whispered, _Is it true that she caused the valley to be annihilated? Was that black fire just now? I'm afraid of sharing the whole dorm with her! Luckily she gets to sleep at the top floor, not with us!_

Quiet, she followed the witch to a private and quieter room. "What were you thinking?" she growled. "I was exterminating a spirit," Chihiro looked away. "You can't just use your powers anytime, Chihiro!" the old woman hissed.

Turning back to her, Chihiro's eyes were filled with defiance. "Then how am I supposed to help these spirits?" Without being aware of their surroundings, a shadowy figure appeared. "Come to the academy," a deep voice spoke.

An ancient spirit appeared, smiling warmly at the two spirits. "What are you doing here, Lord Daichi," the irritated witch sighed. Daichi gave a shrug. "Why can't I be here?" he asked. Glancing at Chihiro, he gently touched her cheek. "I know you've been struggling to live with your powers. Why don't you come with me?"


	2. Hoping for the Best

The next morning arrived, Chihiro leaning against the bridge. The two spirits watched her from afar, waiting for another to arrive. "You think this will solve everything?" Yubaba crossed her arms. Daichi smiled, assuring the witch. "She will fit perfectly into the academy."

The spirit finally arrived, his shoes clicking against the rocky ground. "What did you want?" the river spirit asked. When he found Chihiro glumly walking around the bridge, he narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"

"Just a little accident," the ancient spirit replied. Haku sighed, walking towards the middle of the bridge, where the girl was. She turned around just in time to spot him. "What are you doing here?" she pondered.

Haku sighed, burying his face into her shoulder. "It seems that they have asked me to bring you to Seishin Academy," he mumbled. "Why do I need to go there?" she frowned. Daichi came closer. "To control your powers," he answered, hopping on the ledge.

"There you will be able to master the Dark Fear's power and learn to become an official Spirit," Yubaba added. Chihiro blinked, glancing at the river dragon for any advice. "I guess it would be best," he agreed. "Plus, you'd get to see me more often."

Chihiro asked, "Are you a student there?" Haku gave her a weak smile. "Not exactly…" Daichi chuckled, putting a finger to his lips. "You'll find out soon enough. Alright, let's head out!" As the two spirits began to fly up, Yubaba and Chihiro stood in the bridge.

Just as she was about to fly up, Yubaba grabbed her hand. "Don't let the bathhouse discourage you," the owner insisted. "They're still suspicious about you blowing up the valley." Chihiro stood on the ledge, facing her with a stressed look.

"But I _did_ destroy the valley," she sighed. "Will anything go back to normal?" Yubaba nodded, releasing her hand. "Give it time," she replied. Surprised by her calm and soft voice, Chihiro waved, following after the two spirits.


	3. Class 1B

Chihiro pulled the curtain away, revealing her new appearance. "Are you sure this will work?" she asked, trying to straighten out her uniform. Daichi was sitting on the table, giving her a thumbs up. "Don't worry, only Haku and I will recognize you."

The spirit was wearing a black cloak, which was required for the school's dress code. Her short yukata dress was not visible at the bottom, so her black geta only showed. Apart from that, her long chestnut hair had turned silver, her eyes disguised with blue contacts. "What did you say what kind of spirit I was?" the girl asked.

"A fox," Daichi answered. "Oh, that's right." Snapping his fingers, tiny fangs appeared from her teeth. Chihiro rolled her eyes. She took her katana from the changing room, swinging it over her shoulder like always. "What room am I in?" Chihiro wondered, flipping through the pages of her orientation.

A cat like woman jumped through the window, announcing, "Room 1B!" Jumping back, Chihiro had one hand ready to unsheathe her katana. The spirit giggled, giving the spirit a surprise. "That's your academy guide," the ancient spirit introduced. "Ms. Lulu."

The cat like spirit had flashing red hair and golden eyes, giving her a very wild characteristic. "Lulu, will you please show Sen to her room?" He gave her a friendly smile. "Off you go." Nodding, the spirit followed Ms. Lulu to her first year class.

"Oh, you'll love it here!" the guide cheered. "Right there is the girl's dorm, the boy's dorm, the training grounds, and over there is the commons…" As they descended down the grand stairs, Chihiro thought to herself, _What did Daichi mean?_

Before Ms. Lulu appeared, Daichi explained what was occurring in Seishin Academy. "There have been reports of spirits trespassing into the school grounds," he explained. "It may be minor, but this will be a part of your training. After classes, I will be training with you."

He slapped a strip of paper onto the handle of her katana. "This will limit your power," he continued. "We don't want you to be on a rampage if anything goes wrong, do we?" _His words are so serious, yet he acts like this is a game_, Chihiro sighed.

Ms. Lulu and Chihiro finally reached 1B. "Welcome to Seishin Academy," Ms. Lulu smiled before skipping away. Just as the spirit was about to open the door, she caught a glimpse of the guide transforming into a cat s she turned to the corner.

Opening the door, she found herself in a small room with only a few spirits. "You must be the new student, correct?" the teacher determined. Turning towards him, she replied, "Yes, I'm-" Trying not to look surprised, she recognized Haku.

"Sen," she finished. Giving her a nod, he announced, "This is our new student, Sen. She will be joining us for the rest of the year. Only a few of the students gave her a friendly greeting. _Three girls and two boys_, Chihiro thought. _It's a small class_. Haku pointed to an empty seat beside one of the girls.

"Why don't you sit next to Yui?" he suggested. _Yui… Yui? Yui?! The Yui from the Human World?!_ The spirit looked exactly like the human Yui she knew from school. She even had the same pencil case! Calmly sitting beside her, she set her katana beside her desk.

Yui glanced at her. "Nice to meet you, Sen," she smiled. Chihiro nodded, swallowing slowly. "Nice to meet you too," she replied. "Alright, let' continue with our lesson," the river spirit cleared his throat. "Would you mind sharing with Sen, Yui?" The girl nodded, moving her desk closer to Chihiro's.

As they read on, Chihiro could only think of any more surprises. _Akira's our culture teacher… No, Yubaba is our lunch lady! What if Lin is here too?_ After an hour passed, the bell suddenly rang. "I expect you to have your books on medicine when we return," Haku announced before leaving.

After the door shut, the classes began to murmur. Hearing a dramatic sigh behind her, Chihiro began to eavesdrop. "Oh, Haku sensei is so hot!" a girl squealed. "Too bad he's out of your league," a boy snorted.

Something poked Chihiro's shoulder. Turning around, she found a girl blinking in excitement. "Hey new girl, isn't the teacher so cool?" She did not know how to respond. "Uh…" Luckily, Yui came to the rescue. "Give it a rest, will you? She just came here."

The girl rolled her eyes at Yui. "I'm Suzume. I'm aiming to become a Healer. I hope we get along." Chihiro nodded. "I hope so too…" Yui pointed out the rest. "That's Usagi, Ichiro, and Noboru. And I want to become a Visitor." _Visitor?_ All of their terms were strange to her.

"What's a Healer and visitor?" Chihiro curiously asked. Suzume scowled. "what, you just came in not knowing what you're doing?" Ignoring the spirit, Yui explained, "There are six classes: Samurai, Tamer, Healer, Visitor, Witch/Wizard, and Dark Caster. When entering Seishin Academy, your goal is to become one or two of these. So that in the spirit World, you will be able to call yourself an officially trained spirit."

Chihiro nodded, trying to remember the six. "I don't know much, Usagi over there is an expert." Glancing at the quiet girl, the spirit shyly looked away. "When I graduate, I'll be able to visit both worlds," Yui smiled determinedly. "I've only went to a trip with my relatives a while ago."

_That must have been when she attended school with me_, Chihiro thought. "How was it?" Yui's face lit up. "Oh, it was wonderful! There were so many humans, and I made a friend!" Chihiro tried to look interested rather than worried. "Her name was Chihiro, but she suddenly disappeared later on…"

Her expression darkened after mentioning her. Realizing Chihiro was still there, she tried to smile. "Anyways, I hope she's still out there. I wrote her a letter saying goodbye. I'm not sure if she got it." The spirit blinked. _I didn't get a letter from Akira_, she wondered. The bell finally rang. "After class, I can help you find your books at the library," Yui offered. Chihiro gave her a warm smile.

"Thanks," she replied. _Hopefully, this school year will go by quickly and safely. But first off, I need answers from Haku!_


	4. The Maze

"Our next class is training," Yui explained. "Where should I leave my books?" Chihiro asked. During lunch, the two found the books she needed for class. Now, a stack of books were piled onto Chihiro's desk. "Don't worry about it, we need them here for next class," she assured. Following after the rest of the group, she glanced at the newspaper Noboru was holding. On the second page was a picture of the valley.

"Hey, what's that about?" she asked, but already knew of it. Noboru glanced at the girl, then turned back to the paper, silently reading. Suzume looked over his shoulder, realizing what it was. "You've never heard of it? It happened last year- there was a big battle between the villages. I heard there was one who went out of control and destroyed the whole valley."

_So it's even here_, the spirit thought. "Haku sensei was there too! He must have been so brave!" Suzume walked ahead, daydreaming. Sighing, Yui noticed Chihiro's katana. "Hey, I noticed you always carry that around." Trying to avoid the conversation, she briefly explained. "It's just for training."

"Can I try it out?" Suzume butted in, staring at her katana. "Give it a rest, will you?" Ichiro sighed. "You've been too talkative since this morning." The girl glared at him. "Anyways, it would be cool if you'd let me try it out during training," she smiled.

She skipped away, trying to find anything interesting. They finally reached outside, enjoying the warm weather. Some other students were outside, playing and talking. "Hey, Usagi," Yui called to the girl sitting on a bench nearby. "We're heading for training." Usagi nodded, quietly tagging along. "You remember Sen, right? She's the new student."

The shy spirit gave Chihiro a nod. "You know a lot of the academy, right? Would you do the honor of explaining about the years?" Yui asked. Usagi nodded again. She looked around, wondering where to start. She finally pointed to the group who wore much diverse clothing. "Those are fourth years," she quietly said. "They have their special clothing because they've already chosen who they are to become."

Another group standing by the fountain had a more school uniform- black suits and skirts with blue designs. "They're third years. This year they will be choosing their class." A couple gave a friendly wave to the first years. Yui, as she always was friendly, gave a warm wave back to them. "And those are the second years," Usagi concluded.

The teenagers that stood around the courtyard wore lose black cloaks, similar to the first years'. They turned to their direction, giving them a curious glance. "There is another first year class, but they're on a trip to the human world," Yui explained. Muttering softly to herself, Chihiro heard, "Lucky spirits…"

"In training, the teacher will be giving us basic training on defense, attack, and will recognize our true powers." _Sounds interesting_, Chihiro thought. Finding themselves at a very large arena-like building, they pushed the doors to enter. Hearing sharp clangs and grunts, they found two spirits in the middle of a fight. "They're so fast," Ichiro gasped. Suzume suddenly squealed. "It's Haku sensei!" Recognizing the flash of sea green hair, Chihiro watched as he fought against another spirit.

They finally stopped with the tips of their swords aimed at each other. "You've gotten better," the spirit smiled. Haku sighed, sheathing his sword. "Come on in," he welcomed the first years. Suzume was the first to run towards the teacher. "You were so cool!" she sighed. "Can you give me some private lessons?"

Ignoring her blushing face, he patted her head before leaving. "When you're a third year, I'll think about it," he chuckled. "See you later, Kal." As he passed Chihiro, he briefly touched her hand. "Have fun," he whispered, leaving the arena. After the door was shut, the spirit stretched.

"Welcome, first years!" he said with a cheerful tone. "I'll be your trainer, Kal Merey! You can call me Merey sensei." The girl raised her hand. "You have a strange name. Are you from out of the country?" Kal nodded. "You could say I'm some kind of Visitor. Now, shall we begin? First, tell me your names."

"Ichiro."

"Noboru."

"Suzume!"

"Usagi."

"Yui."

"Sen," Chihiro spoke. Kal blinked, taking a close look at Chihiro. Stepping forward, he asked, "May I see your katana, Sen?" Trying not to hesitate, she calmly handed him her katana. _Can he see the seal?_ she wondered. Suzume and the others had not recognized it when staring at it. Kal only moved past it, examining the work on the covering.

"It's very nice," he commented. "Not a kind of steel that I recognize. Where did you get it from?" Chihiro had to lie. If she were to say it was from the human world, he would have been too suspicious of her. "It was a gift," she replied.

Kal unexpectedly nodded, walking back to the center. "Now that everything else is settled, shall we begin?" Snapping his fingers, other weapons appeared for the rest. Kal handed Chihiro a wooden sword in exchange for hers. "When the time comes, we will use real weapons," he explained.

He snapped again, allowing the ground to rumble. Walls appeared, surrounding them. "This maze will determine your skills and sense to find the exit. Go!" Chihiro was one of the first to leave, dashing through the maze. "Sen! Let's work as a team!" Yui called out. Turning around, she found Yui and Usagi trying to catch up with her. Slowing down, the three raced through the large maze.

"Look out!" Yui warned. Turning back, a large spirit had magically formed from the ground. "It's a garden spirit," Usagi identified. Chihiro went ahead, sliding below the spirit. Standing up to face its back, she tried to cut it down. However, since it was a wooden katana, all she could do was bend the spirits shoulder.

Hearing it growl, she jumped up, kicking it backwards. "Hurry!" she insisted. Yui and Usagi quickly ran past the fallen spirit, following Chihiro. "If we can't defend ourselves with these, how can we manage through this?" Yui thought.

Two spirits came around the corner, charging at the three girls. Usagi stepped forward, trying to calm them down. "Don't be frightened," she spoke. She slowly dropped her wooden sword. "We mean no harm." Giving the other two a hint, Chihiro and Yui dropped theirs. "Oh, that's right," Yui realized. "Usagi is a tamer."

Chihiro watched as the spirits began to calm down as Usagi gently spoke to them. Usagi motioned them to go. "What about our weapons?" Yui whispered. Usagi shook her head. "Leave them, unless you want to be attacked by those spirits." As they ran through the maze, they heard several blasts and shouts.

Different spirits were coming towards their path. "What are we going to do now?" Yui gritted her teeth. Chihiro had found Ichiro casting spells on an attacking spirit midair as they went through the maze. _Will I be able to use my powers?_ Chihiro thought. Determined, she charged at the approaching garden spirit. Snapping her fingers, only a flicker of black fire emerged. _Great. What next?_ she thought with a frustrated look.

The spirit roared, raising its large hand to hit Chihiro. Ready to protect herself, she had her arms covering her face. Before she could feel anything, the garden spirit already fell to the ground. Looking up, Noboru was jumping through the maze. "You're welcome," he smirked before leaving. Frowning, Chihiro continued to run through the maze. _I promised I'd do my best!_

Finding another spirit, her fist raised to punch the spirit. This time, flames covered her hand as she made an impact.


	5. Training for a Goal

Unfortunately, luck did not side with Chihiro. Repeatedly, she attempted to use her flames. Her weak punch only made it, barely making a mark on the garden spirits. She always had to rely on the girls or any passing spirits to fight them off. "What help you are," she muttered under her breath. They continued to run through the maze, finally finding the exit.

"We made it!" Yui cheered, panting. Looking up, they realized they were the last ones to have left the maze. Clapping, Kal snapped his fingers to take the maze away. "When will we get real weapons?" Suzume frowned.

"Weapons aren't the only thing in battle you know," Chihiro narrowed her eyes. "Well it seemed like you needed one since those two had to protect your back!" Suzume shot back. As they went back and forth, Kal silenced them with a raise of his hand.

"That will be out training for the week," the teacher continued. "_Then _we will search for which weapon is compatible for you." The students nodded, leaving the arena for their next class. "Oh, Sen," Kal called out. Turning to her name, she realized she had forgotten her katana. He held it up, tossing it to her.

Just as she was about to leave with the others, she felt his hand grip the end of her sword. "Rule number one," he whispered. "_Never let anyone take your weapon away_." Trying to look calm, she took her katana from his grip and respectively bowed. Leaving, she found Yui and Usagi by the entrance.

"What did Merey sensei say to you?" Yui asked eagerly. Sen continued to stare at the foreign teacher, who swiftly leaped out of the arena with a single jump. Turning back to her classmates, Chihiro shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she assured. "I'm guessing classes already ended?"

Usagi, who was usually quiet, had spoken first. "Yes. We're just heading into our dorms. But some of us just hang around for a while." Blinking, Yui even recognized how Usagi was. "Are you alright, Usagi?" she asked with a smile. She shrugged. "I can talk, right?" Glancing at Chihiro, she gave her a little smile.

When the three were about to follow after their class, Chihiro heard distant whistling from the fountain. A few guys were watching them, waving and winking at them. Frustrated, Chihiro wanted to lash out at them with her katana. One of the spirits suddenly came around the corner, yelling at the third years: red flaming hair shining in the sun.

With wide eyes, Chihiro watched as he came up to the girls. "Sorry, it's embarrassing to see my classmates try to get first years. And your names are…?" Usagi, like always, shrunk back, closer to Yui. "I'm Yui, and this is Usagi," she introduced. The third year spirit turned to Chihiro waiting for her name.

"Sen," she finally replied. The boy took his time processing it. "Sen? Aren't you-" Chihiro quickly turned to the two girls. "Why don't you go on ahead? I have to go somewhere. I'll meet you later?" With blank expressions, Yui and Usagi walked towards the girls' dorm. With a relieved sigh, she turned back to the spirit to finish his sentence. "Chihiro?" he muttered. "Long time no see, Ryuu," she smiled.

"What are you doing here?" The girl brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm training," she answered. Ryuu looked as if it was not the answer he was expecting. "You're not here for the mission?" he frowned. "Well, _this_ is my school so I took the perfect opportunity to investigate." Chihiro became interested in what he was working on.

"Investigating what?" she eagerly asked. They both heard the second bell. "I'll tell you tomorrow," he replied. As he walked towards the boys' dorm, he muttered to himself about why Chihiro was not involved in a mission. Curious, she decided to ask Daichi.

"A mission?" he echoed. Chihiro was told to master her flames, working on snapping her fingers and lighting a candle. "Yeah, Ryuu was wondering why I wasn't in this mission. Is it important?" The founder was quietly thinking to himself. "This mission requires skill, and you're still in training. Besides, you don't know more than half of this academy's layout."

_True_, Chihiro thought to herself. "Anyways, will you let me join if I get stronger?" Daichi looked at her amusingly. "My dear, it's not as quick as that. Why don't we focus on this candle?" Nodding obediently, she snapped her fingers again, successfully having a tiny flame. But as she brought it closer to the candle, the flame disappeared.

Annoyed, she was determined to try again. As the frustrated Chihiro continued with her lesson, Daichi walked towards the edge of the room that had no walls. With his feet halfway out and halfway in, he stared at the academy. "Hey, I got it!" he heard the spirit exclaim cheerfully.

Walking back to her, he found the candle with a flickering black flame. "Is… Is the fire supposed to be black?" Chihiro hesitantly asked. Daichi saw nothing serious in the color. "You're fine, Chihiro," he assured. "You will need to control where and when you can activate your flames."

As he talked, he noticed the determination marked in her eyes. He knew he had to involve her in the mission, but at the same time knew it was too risky for a first year like her. She was just a human not long ago. "If there is a hostage being held by some spirit, you must learn how to directly hit the attacker and miss the hostage," he went on."

"Will it work if I cover my katana in flames?" she excitedly asked. The ancient spirit laughed. "You can try," he encouraged. She unsheathed her katana, holding it this time with two hands. Using most of her energy, she tried to summon a great amount of fire.

Although barely seen, her blade had darkened with flames for a moment, then disappeared from her lack of energy. "Something like that, I guess," she said. 'I remembered that I could do it back at the valley, but I can't seem to use more energy."

The founder nodded. "Most of the reason goes to that seal on her katana. When it is an emergency, _then_ you can take it off." Chihiro nodded, glancing at the paper. If she could train without her full power, maybe she would have a better chance of controlling it after the seal is removed. "Alright, again!" Daichi announced. Her excitement dropped. "What?" the girl complained.


	6. Tonights Dance

A few weeks passed by, with Chihiro's strength gradually growing impressively. Class 1B once again left the arena, relieved to enjoy their lunch. "Say, are you going to the dance tonight?" Suzume asked excitedly. Chihiro's expression appeared blank. "Dance?" she echoed. Yui gave a light chuckle.

"There's a Spirit Dance every year," Yui explained. "They usually give out a theme. What is it this time?" Suzume threw a piece of paper in front of their faces. "Yukatas!" she cheered. _What's so special about this dance?_ Chihiro narrowed her eyes.

The spirit gave another joyful squeal. "Do you think Haku sensei will go with me?" Chihiro and the others could not help but burst in laughter. "Good luck with that," Ichiro smirked. The girl gave a scowl as her classmates passed by.

"So are you going to go?" Yui curiously asked. "I've seen you around Haku sensei a lot." The spirit tried not to blush. "I don't know," Chihiro admitted. "Are you?" Yui nodded. "I'm going with Usagi and a second year." As they continued to walk, she caught the sight of Haku around the corner.

"I'll catch up to you later," she quickly spoke, running off to him. "Haku-" she stopped when she found him talking to a girl. She looked like she was around her age, her eyes shining and her smile flawless.

Haku suddenly reached to her face, caressing a curl on her cheek. Flustered, Chihiro was tempted to grab her katana. She wanted to go up to them and interrupt their conversation, but only hid behind the pillar. As the girl began to leave, Chihiro thought of ways that Haku wanted to talk to her.

_She's a student asking for help. She could be another teacher. But that doesn't explain why he touched her!_ she thought furiously. Trying to act as if nothing happened, Chihiro headed towards the river spirit. "Hey Haku," she calmly greeted. Startled, Haku turned to her. "Who was that just now?" she asked.

The moment he looked hesitant, she bitterly thought, _What excuse does he have?_ "An old friend," he cleared his throat. _Sure_, Chihiro thought. "She looks really pretty," she said. "Anyways, are you going to the dance?" Haku stared at the spirit. "Dance?"

"Unless you have plans…" Chihiro trailed off. He awkwardly scratched his head, avoiding her eyes. "I um, have someone to go with… already…" Chihiro wondered, _Who? Who!_ "I see," she tried to say. Giving him a warm smile, she concluded, "Well, have fun! I bet it was that girl from earlier."

Turning away before he could protest, she quickly left. Feeling disappointed, she decided to meet Ryuu, who was leaning by the vending machine. "Do you have a quarter? I'm short on one," he sighed. Shuffling through her pocket, she managed to find one.

Inserting the coin into the machine, he took out a soda. "Let me join your mission," she suddenly blurted out. Choking down the soda, Ryuu stared at Chihiro in surprise. "What?" he coughed. "I want to help you with your mission," she insisted.

Wiping his mouth, he took in a deep breath. "Have you talked to Haku about this?" he asked. Chihiro shrugged. "He doesn't need to know. I'm on my way to Daichi, so we'll see what happens." Ryuu continued to stare at the teenager as if she fell from the sky.

"You're not going to the dance tonight?" he wondered. "I thought Haku would have asked you." Chihiro tried to shrug it off. "Nah, he's going with someone else." The puzzled dragon blinked. "Alright then," he slowly spoke.

Reaching the top of the tower, Chihiro gave a bow before entering the room. Noticing Daichi and an unfamiliar spirit, she wondered who he was. "Welcome, Sen," Daichi greeted. "This is one of your future professors, Lord Kurai." He gave her a slight nod. "I must leave now, Daichi," he said. "Until next time."

As he left, he passed Chihiro, who felt as if there was something strange about him. Stopping next to her, he murmured, "Welcome to Seishin Academy. It will be a pleasure teaching you about the dark arts." Quickly leaving, Chihiro felt her spine tingle in fear.

"What brings you here, Chihiro?" the ancient spirit asked. "Today is our break." Leaning against a chair, Chihiro studied her shoes. "I was wondering if you'd allow me to join Ryuu in his mission." Daichi gave a soft chuckle. "You're still that persistent, aren't you," he smiled. Walking towards her, he patted her head. "I still believe you are not ready to take him down. Stay by Ryuu and do not speak of this to Haku."

_Take who down?_ "Who's _he_?" Chihiro asked. Daichi casted a serious look before walking away. "You will see for yourself. Be careful tonight." Nodding, Chihiro bowed and left the tower. Finding Ryuu by the entrance, she gave him a nod. "Really," he sighed. "Well, wear your yukata tonight. We're going to go in disguise."


	7. Lord Kurai's Student

She adjusted her ribbon around her waist, glancing at herself in front of the mirror. "Not too bad," she muttered. Looking over her back, she found the mask that Ryuu had given her. _"What's this for?" she asked, admiring the beautiful designs. "We don't want to be recognized, so we have to go around with them on," the dragon explained. "You got that?"_

_ Chihiro nodded. As Ryuu was about to leave, he added, "Wear something dark. We should camouflage with the darkness."_ Remembering his words, she examined the expensive fabric she was wearing Decorated with silver designs, her black yukata made her blend with the night sky.

Blowing the candle out, she slipped her mask on and swung her katana over her shoulder. Leaping out from the window, she softly landed on the rooftops. _Good thing I practiced this with Daichi_, Chihiro thought. Finding Ryuu sitting by the fountain, she quietly jumped towards him.

"You look… nice," he blinked, recognizing her beauty. Clearing his throat, he glanced at the sky. "Let's go." Nodding, the two spirits disappeared in the night. Meanwhile, many of the students were pouring into the unrecognizable arena. The dirt was covered with a flashing dance floor and the roof covered with chandeliers and balloons.

Haku was one of them, arriving in a blue kimono. A girl had her arm wrapped his, waving to her friends and talking to the river spirit at the same time. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the dance?" Ryuu asked, watching as she stared at the group below.

_Focus, Chihiro_. Shaking her head, she continued to walk across the walls of the academy. "I'm fine, let's go." The dragon followed after her. "So what exactly are we looking for?" Chihiro asked. As Ryuu began to explain, she spotted a shadow lurking from a corner by the classrooms.

"We're suspecting Lord Kurai to be a dark spirit. There have been reports of students coming to him for extra lessons." The spirit frowned. "Isn't that his job? To teach?" the girl questioned. Ryuu replied, "Not exactly. These days, those students have been acting strangely during the day. It seems as if he wants to spread the word to everyone."

Chihiro spotted the shadow again. "Hang on," the girl whispered, unsheathing her sword. Dropping down, she clashed with the shadow. Hearing a grunt, she felt its foot kick her leg. Unbalanced, she had to retreat. Backing away, she squinted through the darkness to see who it was.

Instead, the figure ran off. Gritting her teeth, she tried to follow its scent. "What did you find?" Ryuu questioned, following after her. "Someone was wandering around," Chihiro quickly explained. "It looks like they're heading towards the party."

The two stopped by a corner as the figure ran into the arena. "Should we wait?" the girl asked, trying to catch her breath. Waiting for an answer, she turned around. "What are you blushing at?" she narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "N-Nothing," he cleared his throat. "Let's go in. You can take your mask off for now."

Removing the mask from her face, she was glad to take deep breath of fresh air. Casually walking towards the doors, the spirit at the front glanced at them. "Couple, correct?" he clarified. _This was a couple's dance?_ Chihiro blinked. Trying not to look flustered, the two spirits quietly nodded and avoided each other's eyes.

Walking in, they were suddenly in a crowd, trying to squirm their way through. "Can you find his scent?" Ryuu called out over the booming music. "I think so!" Chihiro spoke loudly. Sniffing the air, she also found Haku's scent. _Focus! You wanted this mission, so you have to stick to it!_ she chastised herself.

Rushing through the crowd, she finally found the growing scent. "This way!" Chihiro spoke. Trying to act calm, she swiftly grabbed the back of the stranger's collar. "You'll be coming with us," Ryuu murmured darkly. The spirit gave a sneer. "Let go of me!" Immediately teleporting, he also brought Chihiro along.

Sighing, the dragon spirit headed back to the entrance. Only to be stopped by Haku, he turned back. "What are you doing here?" Haku asked. "I thought you said you weren't coming." Ryuu shook his head. "No, I'm just looking for someone. Enjoy the rest of the dance!"

Wondering why he was in such a hurry, Haku blinked. "Who was that?" his partner asked with interest sparking in her eyes. "He looked cute. Come on, I want to dance." As she pulled him onto the dance floor, he thought, _I only came here to find Lord Kurai's subordinates, not to dance!_

Chihiro felt herself being pulled into a whirlwind, only to find herself by the shore. Spitting the sand out of her mouth, she quickly looked around to find the spirit. Slipping her mask on, she suddenly felt safer with it protecting her face. Turning around, she dodged the paddle that aimed for her arm.

"Who are you?" Chihiro demanded. Taking her katana out, she cut the paddle in half. Gritting his teeth, he threw the pieces away, only to hold his hands together. Throwing a dark orb at her, she could only move away and wonder what it was. "I will not let his work go to waste!" he hissed.

Feeling something crawling under the sand, Chihiro missed her chance to jump. Something slick wrapped around her legs, pinning her down. Dark magic swirled around the mysterious spirit's hands, prepared to attack Chihiro. Narrowing her eyes, she lifted her katana, trying to break his concentration.

Instead, he surprisingly grabbed it, examining the design. "This is work from the human world," he frowned. "How could you possibly get this weak blade from over there?" He easily snapped it with his dark magic, watching as the blade crumbled into dust. Watching the talisman also burn, Chihiro grew angry but frightened. _Is this what Lord Kurai taught his students?_

Furious, she grabbed the broken sword by the handle, cutting the things that pulled her down. Glaring at the spirit, she cut the air vertically. A sudden wave of black fire flew past the spirit, barely singing his hair. It ran past the water and destroyed a boat that was parked by the docks.


	8. Return

"Wow, those fireworks are awesome!" Ichiro exclaimed. The party was gazing at the luminous black fire as it rose into the sky. While Haku struggled to push his 'date' off of him, he finally looked up. _Chihiro!_ Panicking, he slipped away from her grasp, squirming through the crowd. As the river spirit tried to make his way to the shore, Ryuu reached the scorched site. While Lord Kurai's student gaped in shock, Chihiro collapsed into the sand, staring at her broken sword.

The wind dragon cautiously approached, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Chihiro, we have to go," he murmured. "The teachers are going to start noticing." The girl barely shifted. Her grip tightened around the blades. "Who are you spirits?" the boy stuttered, glaring at the still girl.

He finally got the sense to stand up and retreat. Instead of going after the student, Ryuu picked Chihiro up. "Let's go to Lord Daichi," he muttered, flying up into the air before Haku could see anyone. Panting, he bitterly wondered what had happened. Just before he was about to leave, he noticed a tiny shard glittering in the sand. Bending down to pick it up, he realized it was a piece of steel.

"Is she alright?" the ancient spirit asked as soon as Ryuu reached the top floor. He laid the girl on the couch, taking the broken pieces from her hands. "She was in shock after she fired at the spirit," the dragon quickly explained. "However the talisman didn't…" Daichi nodded. "It's fine. The reason why she's in shock is because of the sudden removal of the talisman. Her powers suddenly came to her, making it difficult for her to control."

Ryuu glanced at Chihiro. "So she's still not finished with her training," he murmured. "We should bring her back to health before her classmates start to notice anything. Especially Haku." Agreeing with Ryuu, Daichi rushed into a small room. As they waited for the ancient spirit to return, the dragon sighed and sat beside Chihiro.

Noticing her regain consciousness, he asked, "How are you holding up?" She rubbed her eye, noticing that her palms were covered with scratches. "What happened?" she thought, examining her hands. Remembering the shore, she shot up. "Where's my katana?" Pulling her back down, he insisted, "Calm down. I have some questions too, so just be patient."

Quiet, Chihiro leaned back and did as Ryuu told her. "By the way," she blinked. "Did you… carry me here?" He shrugged. "Yeah." Chihiro nodded and looked away, looking at the night sky. _Is she blushing?_ he pondered. "Is it possible that you're falling in love with me?" he snickered. Furious, Chihiro flung a pillow at him. "In your dreams!" she snapped, then froze as she held another pillow.

"Uh, is this supposed to happen?" Chihiro frowned. The pillow slowly began to become engulfed in flames. Taking the burning cushion from her, he let it out with a force of air. "Your powers are uncontrolled since the talisman burned," a voice spoke. Turning back, the two found Daichi with a new sheet of paper. "Thank you," Chihiro quietly thanked, taking the new talisman from him.

She felt her power become suppressed, allowing her to calm down. "What about my katana?" The spirit sighed, sitting in a grand chair beside the two. "I'm afraid that cannot be brought back. We don't have the right materials as the humans have," he admitted. "However, we can make a better one." Chihiro's interest perked up. "How?" she questioned.

Daichi glanced at Ryuu, giving him a nod. "I've made plenty of swords," he shrugged. "It's not that hard. But, if we want to make one that's able to control your power, it'll take time to collect the materials. How long do we have until this school year ends?" Daichi looked up from his sweet scented tea. "Just a couple more days," he warmly smiled.

Ryuu nodded. "Then we can ask Kamaji for some help. You're good with this, right Chihiro?" The girl nodded, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Alright, you two can go back down if you want to join the dance," Daichi waved his hand to the door. "Enjoy the rest of your night." Bowing, the two spirits headed back down the stairs.

While the room grew silent, the ancient spirit gave a long sigh. "Will that girl be able to fight against them?" he thought to himself. The shattered katana was laid on the table, dull and powerless. Meanwhile, Haku was making his way towards the tower until he found Ryuu and Chihiro leaving from it. "What are you two doing here?" Haku frowned.

The wind spirit ignored him, giving Chihiro a slight nudge towards Haku. He gave a wave and began to head towards the boys' dorm. _Once I get my new katana, Ryuu will…_ The two spirits uncomfortably stood under the night. "Where's your date?" Chihiro quietly asked. Haku tensed, wondering if she had noticed them together. "She's back at the party. Well, she's not exactly my date-"

"Yeah sure," she rolled her eyes. The river spirit did not know what to say. As he was about to stutter an excuse, Chihiro gave a soft laugh. "Ryuu told me about it," she spoke. "Thanks for telling me earlier." Blushing, Haku shuffled his feet. "I was going to, but you didn't give me a chance-" Chihiro put a finger to his mouth. "No excuses," she slyly smiled, giving him a peck on his cheek.

When she was beginning to head back, Haku swiftly grabbed her and gave her a long kiss. Whenever he had done that, the girl could not help but blush furiously. "Now we're even," Haku grinned. Giving him a teasing push, Chihiro raced off into the empty streets.

The days soon passed, leaving Chihiro to graduate from her first year. "I'll miss you guys!" Yui exclaimed, giving Chihiro and Usagi tight hugs. As always, Noboru would sulk in the corner, watching as everyone bid their goodbyes. "Hey, Sen," he suddenly called out. As he passed by, he stopped next to her. "See you next year," he murmured.

While the quiet spirit left, Yui and Usagi gave giggles of excitement. "He rarely speaks to us but now…?!" Yui gave a cheer. "Maybe he likes you! Do you think he's interested in you?" As Yui continued to spill out questions, Chihiro could not help but laugh. _She was even like this when we were in the Human World_, she thought, smiling at her friends.

As the time arrived, the students began to leave the classroom, leaving Chihiro and Haku. Ms. Lulu suddenly passed the classroom, giving them a friendly wave. "See you guys next year!" she winked. Chihiro waved back. "Are we ready?" she asked. She watched as Haku placed his final stack of books into his desk. "Yeah," he smiled. "Let's go back, shall we?" Hand in hand, the two spirits teleported to the bathhouse.

_As usual, it's quiet_, Chihiro noticed. Since they were not in the academy anymore, she finally got to take the magic off from her hair and eyes. But once they entered the grand building, spirits popped out. "Welcome home!" Surprised, the two looked around, noticing everyone pouring down from the stairs. "We've missed you so much! How've you been! Are you strong enough to take Yubaba down?" _They… They're acting as if nothing had happened_, the spirit blinked, remembering their negative attitudes before she left for the academy.

A hand touched Chihiro's shoulder. "We can't stay mad at you forever," Lin smirked. _It's like she's reading my mind_, Chihiro shook. "It's good to see you again," she replied, trying to keep a straight face. Many other spirits came by to welcome the two returning spirits.

"It's about time you guys came," a voice behind them spoke. "When did you come?" Haku frowned. Ryuu leaned against the wall, ignoring the cheers and shrieks of spirit girls. "A couple hours ago," he smiled. "You guys should see Yubaba. She's waiting for you."

Nodding, the two made their way through the crowd, finally reaching the elevator. "It's good to be back," Haku sighed, leaning back. "Yeah," Chihiro closed her eyes, trying to relax. "You're hair has gotten longer," he commented, taking a strand of her chestnut hair. "It did," she blinked, forgetting that she had never cut it since she had gotten to the Spirit World.

The elevator finally stopped, opening to the grand halls of Yubaba's office. They took in a deep breath and entered the heavily designed hallway. With a knock on her door, they heard the familiar voice. "Come in." Opening it, they found Yubaba shuffling through papers.

"Welcome back, you two," she greeted with the usual carless tone. "I see you've made yourself comfortable." Chihiro realized she was talking about their casual appearances. "Oh, yeah," the girl replied awkwardly. "If there's anything we need to talk about, we'll discuss it over dinner," Yubaba continued. "You may continue… whatever you were doing downstairs."

_I wonder if she'll ever admit that she missed us_, Chihiro chuckled. "Oh," she spoke before leaving her office. "Why is everyone so… cheerful?" The witch laughed at her unexpected question. "Well," she sighed. "We've recovered a lot from the war, and your brother decided to pay us a visit."

"It's good that we've healed from the war," Chihiro smiled in relief. "And my brother came? That's nice- Wait what?!" Her startling response caused the three green spirits to tumble down into the basket of confetti below them. "When did he come? How did he come?" she suddenly demanded. "Calm down!" Yubaba snapped. "Go downstairs and see for yourself."

Chihiro immediately grabbed Haku's hand, easily passing through the ground. The witch watched in surprise as the two slipped through the ground like ghosts. Realizing Chihiro did not know how to fly yet, Haku flew down to the ground, noticing Akira talking to the spirit at the front. Before the river spirit could say anything, Chihiro called out, "Akira!"


	9. Searching for the Materials

"Be careful on your way out," Chihiro reminded him. Akira rolled his eyes, leaving the Spirit World. "See you later, sis!" he waved, disappearing in the tunnel. Cupping her hands and blowing in them for warmth, she turned back to Ryuu. "Let's go," he said. Akira had been staying in the bathhouse for a week, getting acquainted with the spirits.

As winter began to move in, Chihiro did not want their mother to worry. Before her brother had left, he gave her her favorite necklace that was left in her room. "Where are we going first?" Chihiro asked, wrapping herself in her fluffy coat tightly. The wind dragon pointed up at the volcano, which was hidden by clouds and falling snow.

"What are we getting from there?" the girl frowned. "Wouldn't the lava and stuff be hardened already?" Ryuu gave her a sigh. "That happens in your world, Chi. In the Spirit World, the lava never hardens. Our volcano has a special crystal that can never be destroyed." _Good thing for me_, Chihiro thought. "Come on, we'll get there quicker by using the wind," Ryuu insisted.

He opened his arm to Chihiro, who awkwardly came to him. "Good thing Haku didn't come," Chihiro muttered. When the two were about to leave for their journey, Haku offered to come with them. He became suspicious when the two started to make excuses that the bathhouse needed them there and he had missions to be completed.

Flying up into the air, the girl stared in amazement. The shops and bathhouse were getting smaller and smaller until they were the size of her foot. They flew forward, surprisingly reaching the volcano at a quick rate. _He's warm_, she thought, feeling his arm around her tighten. "Get ready for the drop!" he called out over the wind.

"What drop!" she yelled back, and felt his grip loosen. _Wait, don't let me go!_ She did not have time to scream. Plunging down from the sky, Chihiro screamed as she saw the ground approach her. _Land lightly like this so that you won't be heard nor feel any pain_, she remembered Daichi's lesson.

Putting her legs below her, she did as she was told. Snow blew everywhere, leaving a click against the rocky terrain from her geta. "Nice one," Ryuu smiled, levitating beside her. "Jerk," she muttered, giving him a punch to the shoulder. The two climbed up until they felt the heat radiating from a foot away. With Ryuu's air pushing the heat away, they managed to get closer to the edge. "That's our crystal," the dragon spirit pointed.

The girl caught a glimmer from the boiling lava. A hardened part of the lava revealed a chunk of red crystals. "I'll have to hold the air for you," Ryuu instructed. "Get ready to jump." Chihiro wildly looked at him. "What?" she panicked. "Go!"

_This is insane!_ Just as she jumped down, the lava below her instantly hardened. Walking across the volcano, she finally found the glowing crystals. "What do I do to remove them?" she called out. Ryuu looked up from his concentration.

"Take off… your talisman and just hack it off!" Ryuu grunted. "I can't hold it all day for you!" Rummaging through her pocket, she placed it under her geta and made one swift move of her hand like a sword. She grabbed the broken crystal and stuffed the talisman into her pocket. "I'm good! Bring me back!" she yelled. He used the air to pull her forward, crashing her into him.

As they began to roll down the volcano, Chihiro managed to grab a ledge. "You okay?" the girl panted. "Other than you sitting on me, I'm alright," he replied. Blushing, she slid off of his chest. "Let's," he panted. "Go back down and find the next item."

They flew down the volcano, relieved to feel the snowy ground under their feet. "It's pretty," Chihiro thought, examining the crystal. _It's like there's a fire inside the crystal…_ Clearing her throat, she waited for Ryuu to recover. "There's a cave a couple miles away that has a special rock. We'll be using that to make the actual katana."

Chihiro sighed. "A couple miles?" she frowned. Instead of complaining any further, they made their way through the forest and finally in the snowy plains. "Don't get lost, alright?" Ryuu spoke. _He looks exhausted_, Chihiro thought. "Are you sure you don't want to take a break?" she asked. When he heard her, he tried to straighten up and give some energy to his expression.

"I'm fine. Let's keep going. We can't stop because of me." Hesitant, Chihiro continued to follow Ryuu through the snow blizzard. She held the glowing crystal close to her, feeling the warmth radiate from it. "Ryuu!" she called out. Distracted by the crystal, she lost track of where the spirit was going. "Ryuu!"

_Is he alright?_ she thought, searching through the white plains. Hearing snarls approach, she became worried. "No choice then," she grumbled, taking her gloves off and searching for her talisman. As usual, she put her foot over the paper, preparing to use her power. The snow around her melted, mist flowing from her feet.

The heat surrounded her, expanding like a ripple of water. The snow that was drifting down melted into water. _I'll get a better view of where I am_, the spirit thought, looking around to see if Ryuu was close. "Ryuu!" she repeated. As the snarls grew louder, she felt a gentle gust of wind from her left. _Ryuu?_ Following the wind, she found a flash of red appear from the snow.

"Ryuu!" A dark figure suddenly appeared in front of her, pushing her backwards. As the snow began to return to the grass, she struggled to stand up from the heavy weight. _My talisman!_ It drifted away from her sight, disappearing into the blizzard. Fighting off the weight, Chihiro tried to think of another way to escape. _I don't know much magic, but…_ Reaching out to a clump of snow, she tried to focus her power on it.

The snow levitated, ready to be used at her command, she brought her hand back, allowing the snow to swiftly slam into the dark figure. Hearing a whine, she felt the weight disappear. Before they could attack again, she quickly stood up and released her black fire at them to scare them off. Hearing them flee, she glanced at the sky and held out her hand to find the talisman.

_Yes!_ she smiled as she caught the returning sheet of paper. Rushing to Ryuu's side, she found him resting in the snow. "Just relax Chi," he mumbled. "I'll be up in a second." Slapping his cold cheek, Chihiro tried to wake him up. "Hang on Ryuu," she gritted her teeth, attempting to pick him up. With an arm over her shoulder, she tried to carry him through the blizzard. "We just need to find a place to…"

Squinting through the snow, she noticed a blurry light coming towards them. Narrowing her eyes and preparing to fight, she waited as the light soon came face to face. "Who's there?" a voice questioned. _That voice… Yui?_ Before Yui could see them, Chihiro immediately changed her hair and eyes. "Sen?" she called out with a strange tone. "What are you doing out here?"

She found the spirit in a brown long coat holding a large lamp. Her eyes glittered from the bright fire. "Isn't that Ryuu?! He's a third year!" The two heard another set of snarls approach. "Come on, we need to get out of this blizzard," she insisted, leading the way. Quietly following Yui through the snow, she tried to hold Ryuu as long as she could.

The three finally made it to a small cottage. Slamming the door shut, Yui sighed. "I know it's the same for me, but what are you two doing in the middle of a snow blizzard?" Chihiro set Ryuu by the fireplace. "It's a long story," she replied, slouching beside him. "Thanks for finding us." The spirit nodded. "It's a good thing I was looking for a herb out there." As she walked over to her little kitchen, she began to fill her kettle. "A cup of tea will bring him back up," she continued.

She sat across from them, handing the two cups of warm tea. "Thanks," Chihiro mumbled. Ryuu took a sip from his cup but never spoke a word. "What brings you here?" the girl asked. "I'm just on my way to the village a couple miles from here," Yui explained. "I need to deliver a message to the bathhouse. It's been a while since I've been there."

Chihiro perked up. "We're from there," she blinked. "Ryuu and I were just going there." Yui nodded. "So why are you with a third year?" she asked with glittering sly eyes. Chihiro tried her best not to blush. "We were just assigned to go somewhere," she lied. "Anyways…" The two girls continued to talk through the night, feeling the numbing of their toes disappear.

"I have something to ask," Chihiro spoke. "Have you… Have you ever visited the Human World?" Yui looked up from her cup of tea. "Yes, I have," she answered, setting it down. Trying to look eager, Chihiro leaned in closer. "How was it? Were there a lot of humans? What did the land look like?" Yui giggled. "It was so beautiful. They had roads for their transportation, stores and houses together- they called it a city. I even went to school for a while."

As she continued on, Chihiro wanted to ask Yui something she always had on her mind. "Did you make any friends?" she finally asked. Yui glanced up at her. "Yeah, I did," she replied. "Two of them were really special." The girl sighed, staring out at the blizzard through the small window. "Their names were Kaori and Chihiro. Kaori would always complain and have a bad temper, but once you got used to her she was pretty fun. But Chihiro…"

Chihiro listened closely. "She was such an energetic and talented human," she went on. "We would always wait for her after her clubs. I always wondered what she would daydream about. Whenever we tried to pull her back into the conversation, she would just space out."

Yui gave a laugh. "What happened to her?" Chihiro quietly asked. The spirit's eyes suddenly grew dark. "I don't know," she admitted. "She suddenly disappeared one day without saying goodbye. I tried asking her aunt and she said that she and her brother went away for a while. But I couldn't agree to that." Chihiro asked, "Do you think something bad happened to her?"

Giving a big determined smile, she replied, "Chihiro would have fought through like a spirit! I bet she's back at home, thinking about all the adventures she could take on." Chihiro smiled. _I'm sorry I left without saying anything_, she sadly thought. "But," Yui said. "If I ever go back to the Human World, I wish I could see her again. She was a great friend." Her eyes began to close, her head leaning against the brick fireplace. "Good night Yui," Chihiro murmured.

Putting a blanket over her, Chihiro walked over to the door and put her coat back on. _I'm glad that you still think about me Yui_. Thinking of the stone Ryuu spoke about, she left in order to search for the second material for her katana.


	10. Zeniba's Magic

Ryuu awoke to the stench of smoke. Opening his eyes, the fire was put out, while the sun rose to brighten the little cottage. "Morning, sleepy head," a voice spoke. Looking up, he found Yui sitting at the table, nibbling on a cookie. "First year," he frowned. Yui smiled. "I found you two in the blizzard last night. Sen dragged you back here." Blinking, he turned around to find Chihiro sound asleep in the bed.

Standing up, Yui walked over to the door, putting her coat on. "She must have gone out while we were asleep. Her coat is still cold and wet from the snow," she noticed. Stretching, she examined the outside through the window. "I'm going to the bathhouse first. See you later."

Closing the door behind her, the spirit took a deep breath and continued her journey. Still confused as to hat happened while he was out, he leaned back and pulled he blanket off of him. _She carried me all this way, huh_, he thought. Turning back around to face her, he touched Chihiro's cheek.

_She _is_ cold_, Ryuu realized. _Where did she go?_ Investigating for clues, he searched through her bag. He found the volcano crystal, a scarf, and a pale round rock that looked too smooth to be a rock. _She went to the cave last night_, Ryuu thought.

Digging through, he also found a red ribbon. _This was… mine_. When the two first met, he had placed it on her finger and vowed he would make her his. Glancing at her again, she wore a blue ring that Haku gave her. Chihiro suddenly mumbled something and sat up.

"Morning," he greeted, trying not to laugh at her bed head. Stuffing the ribbon back into her bag before she could notice, he stood up and tossed it to the bed. "Let's get going," he cleared his throat. Rubbing her eyes, she began to look for her friend. "Where's Yui?" she yawned. "Are you feeling better?"

Ryuu nodded. "She left while you were sleeping." Chihiro slipped out of the bed and began to put her coat on. "You could have woken me up so that we could have gone together," the wind dragon sighed. "You needed your rest, and we have more time now." Clapping her hands, she felt energized.

"Where to next?" The dragon stood up and made his way to the door. "The last material is magic from a witch." Chihiro blinked. "That'll be easy, right?" she shrugged. "We can go to Yubaba." Ryuu shook his head. "It's not that easy to ask a witch for her power," he explained. "And we need someone who has mastered the transformation spell."

_I've never seen Yubaba cast a spell. Only with names and herself. But what about…_ "Zeniba?" she suggested. "I've seen her turn Yubaba's baby into a mouse." Ryuu laughed. "Why are you so sure she'll cooperate with us?" As he said that an hour ago, the spirits were on their way over the sea.

"You'll be doing all the talking," Ryuu grumbled. Chihiro softly laughed and enjoyed the cool wind. They finally made it to the small house with the warm greeting of the lamp spirit. Knocking on the door, they waited for a response. "Come in," an old voice spoke. As the door creaked open, Chihiro and Ryuu entered inside. "Hi Granny," she smiled, giving the witch a hug. The dragon spirit flinched and slowly swallowed. _G-Granny?!_ "Seems like you're back to health," she noticed.

The girl smiled. Zeniba offered the two a seat and a variety of sweets. Turning to Ryuu, Zeniba frowned, "What happened? Did you ditch Haku for this guy?" Chihiro coughed just when she took a sip of tea. "N-No Granny!" she quickly protested. "He's a friend! We're just looking for materials for my new katana." Zeniba laughed. "So why have you come?"

While Chihiro explained, it gave the dragon spirit a chance to look around. _So she has a spirit working for her_, he realized, glancing at the masked black spirit. "I see," Zeniba spoke. "We were hoping you could help us," Chihiro urged. Zeniba sighed, placing her cup back down. "In a situation like this, I'd have no choice," the witch admitted.

"However." Zeniba waved to the masked spirit. "Hey No Face," Chihiro greeted. The spirit arrived with a little teacup. "Thank you No Face," Zeniba thanked. Pouring tea into it, she waved her hand over it and sparkled some of her magic into it. "You also have a hint of magic in you," she explained. Chihiro and Ryuu frowned. "So you're saying she's partially a witch?" Ryuu questioned. "Whatever the Dark Fear did to her, yes," Zeniba nodded.

Hesitant, Chihiro stared at the little teacup. She looked at Ryuu, trying to ask for his opinion with her troubled look. _It's for the sake of your katana_. He nodded. She took the cup and drank it. "Is that it?" Chihiro narrowed her eyes. Zeniba gave a chuckle. "You'll see," she insisted. "Young spirit please bring her to a safe place out of anyone's reach."

Suspicious, Ryuu could only nod. "Let's go, Chihiro," he spoke, standing up and preparing to leave. After bidding their goodbyes, Ryuu once again held Chihiro's hand and flew back to the bathhouse. "Do you want me to drop you off in your room?" he asked. Waiting for a response, he continued to fly for a few minutes.

Turning to Chihiro in curiosity, he realized she was focused on something. "You okay?" he frowned. _Is it the side effects from Zeniba's magic?_ They finally reached the bathhouse, landing in Yubaba's balcony. But once they touched the ground, Chihiro immediately fell. Catching her, Ryuu wondered what to do.

Hearing the commotion, Yubaba stormed out and slammed the door open. "Who's trespassing-" She froze when she found Chihiro and Ryuu. "Why are you two in my balcony?" she frowned. "Do your secret stuff somewhere else-"

"Yubaba, you're getting it all wrong," Ryuu snapped. "She collapsed because of Zeniba's magic." The bathhouse owner frowned. "What did she do?" She sounded as if het win had always done something childish. As the two brought Chihiro to her room, Ryuu quickly explained their situation. "Keep this private," Yubaba spoke. "We don't want anyone getting suspicious or any roaming spirits to attack."

Nodding, he bowed as the witch returned to her office. _I should at least tell Haku_, he thought. He walked down the hall, reaching the elevator. Meanwhile, Chihiro was rolling around in her bed, sweat beading down her forehead. In her mind, she was once again surrounded in darkness.

Just like when the Dark Fear took control of her body, she felt cold and isolated. _It's been a while, Chihiro_, a familiar voice echoed. Looking around Chihiro realized it was the Dark Fear. "What do you want," she gritted her teeth. "I don't have time for this-" _You seem more confident than before_, it smiled.

Like always, it tried to taunt the spirit. _You're trying to awaken your powers, aren't you? Now that you're a spirit, it's difficult to take over your body. Now that you're in the process of awakening your powers…_ Chihiro gave a brief chuckle. "Don't think you can underestimate me," she gave a weak smile. Just before she could continue, she felt her shoulders shake.

"Chihiro… Chihiro!" The girl opened her eyes, staring at Haku. "Are you alright?" he asked. Coughing, the girl struggled to sit up. Crawling up Haku's sleeve, she leaned against him. "I'll be okay…" she murmured. Feeling another wave of pain hit her head, she clutched his sleeve in pain. The river spirit took her hand, feeling her squeeze it tightly. He began to recall what happened before he came to the top floor.

_"Haku!" someone called out from behind. The spirit turned around to find Ryuu catching up to him. "When did you return?" he asked. The river dragon was on his way to give Kamaji a gift from Lin. "Just now," Ryuu panted. "Listen, just go to Chihiro's room-"_

_ "Haku sensei and Ryuu?" another voice called out. The boys found Yui arriving from the stairs. "What a coincidence," Yui smiled. "Did I hear Ryuu just say Chihiro?" Panicking, they attempted to make excuses. "Who's Chihiro?" Haku frowned. "I was saying… charging." Yui narrowed her eyes. "Charging?" Ryuu gave an awkward nod. "Y-Yeah, I'm charging for… the next training. Yeah…"_

_ Yui stared at the two. "Okay then," she blinked. "It was nice meeting you two. See you in two weeks." Giving a wave, she left the spirits. With a sigh of relief, Haku turned back to Ryuu again. "So what were you saying?" he sighed. The wind dragon quickly explained as he did to Yubaba._

"I'm here, Chihiro," he murmured, stroking her long chestnut hair. Hearing her mutter something, he leaned in closer. "This guy is really annoying," she growled. Wondering who she was talking about, he asked, "Who?"

As Haku tried to ask her whom she was talking about, she began to snap back at the Dark Fear. _It's impressive how you've gone so far_, it continued. _Do you want to make a deal?_ Chihiro scoffed, "Making a deal with you will make things worse." Hearing an echoing chuckle, she folded her arms and leaned back. "What's your deal?" she frowned.


	11. The Deal with the Dark Fear

"It's already been two weeks," Ryuu noticed. "Do you think Chihiro's alright? I mean, we have to get back to Seishin Academy in a couple days." Haku continued to wrap the ropes for the boat. "She'll be fine," he replied. "Lord Daichi's here, so we'll find out if she's doing alright." _How does he do it?_ the dragon sighed as he watch him throw the rope onto the deck. Haku had been staying with her every night as she squirmed in her sleep. All they could do was feed her wait for her to awaken.

Right when they were talking about them, the ancient spirit appeared. "How is she?" the river spirit immediately asked. Daichi gave a warm chuckle. "She'll be fine," Daichi answered. "I don't know what kind of magic Zeniba used on her, but…" He turned back to the open door. Curious, the two dragons leaned closer.

"Careful," a faint voice warned. Lin appeared, appearing to be holding something or _someone_ up. Chihiro had an arm around Lin, limping towards the three. "Chihiro!" Haku blinked. H rushed over to her side, holding her hand. Lin respectfully nodded to Daichi before returning to her work. "See you later," the weasel spirit winked at the girl.

Chihiro looked around, trying to get familiar with her surroundings. _It's so _bright, she thought, squinting at the cloudless sky. "So why did you bring Chihiro here?" Ryuu asked. The ancient spirit smiled. "Extra training," he explained. "If, that is, you have nothing else to do." Haku and Ryuu glanced at the ropes. Tossing them behind them, they shrugged. "We're free," the red haired spirit agreed. Chihiro and the spirit held back their laughs. "Let's begin with transformations," he declared.

Looking at the two spirits, he gave them a nod. "Let's see how you two fight." Haku gave a grin, the wind around him growing stronger. The two spirits suddenly changed into long dragons, hissing and snarling at each other. "Haku is the spirit of the Kohaku River," Daichi explained. "The dragon of water. Ryuu is the spirit of the wind- the dragon of wind."

He began to recall what happened before they transformed. "Did you see how they were concentrating?" he continued. Chihiro watched as the two dragons clashed. Haku's blue fur entangled with Ryuu's red flame hair, collapsing over each other in the grass. "Since they've been doing this for a long time, it takes no effort for them. Now, I want you to…"

The dragons snarled at each other, their claws locked onto each other. _It's been a while since we've fought like this_, Ryuu chuckled, his sharp red eyes glittering in excitement. _You haven't changed at all_, Haku chuckled. "How will I learn from this?" Chihiro frowned. "I can't just suddenly transform, can I?" Daichi gave an encouraging smile. "You've seen Haku transform. Try to piece it together." _I'm definitely going to fail_, Chihiro pouted.

She continued to watch Haku and Ryuu fight, struggling to transform. _How can I?!_ she began to fight in her head. _I'm a new spirit that was a human! I can't stop these two unless I just jump in between them!_ As she grouchily thought to herself, a familiar chuckle arose. _Still thinking about our deal?_ a voice chuckled. Chihiro rolled her eyes. _What do you want?_ she snapped.

The Dark Fear gave another cackle. _Rebellious as always. Don't you want to prove that you can do this yourself?_ The girl glared at the sky. _Of course I want to- without your help_. Daichi glanced at her, wondering what was going on in her head. "You okay?" he asked, waving his hand in front of her face to catch her attention. Blinking, she glanced at him. "Y-Yeah, just give me second."

_Get out of my head_, she hissed. She could imagine the Dark Fear sigh. _I'm only offering assistance. Now that my master betrayed me and left to that little school-_ "Wait," she spoke aloud. The ancient spirit blinked, curious as to why she had said that. "Sorry," she awkwardly shook her head. _Who's your master?_ she narrowed her eyes. _Is it that guy from the war?_ The dark dragon rolled his eyes. _Yeah, like I would know which 'guy' you're talking about. His name is Kurai. He led the army against you. He managed to survive your big surprise attack and hide in that school you're going to_.

_Well thanks for telling me earlier_, the spirit sighed. The Dark Fear gave a growl. _You always pushed me away, so who's fault is it?_ Chihiro crossed her arms. _Fine, let's say we go with your 'deal'. I help you with your revenge against Kurai, and you help me with my powers_. The Dark Fear shrugged. _Not as easy as it sounds, but as you say so. Yes. And you should pick of your pace if I'm going to be of assistance. Your friends over there are getting rough_.

Returning to reality, she heard a crash from the water. Haku had flung Ryuu into the water, limping on one leg. Splashing out of the water, she found one of Ryuu's eyes squeezed shut. _You ready?_ The Dark Fear growled. She felt a tremendous amount of power flowing into her. Before the talisman could burn up, she took it out of her pocket and handed it to Daichi. "Let's go!" she grinned.

Running towards the two dragons, Daichi watched as dark power surged into Chihiro. Shadows surrounded her, revealing black waving hair. With silver scales similar to Haku's, black glaring eyes revealed Chihiro's dark transformation. With a terrifying roar, Ryuu and Haku froze midair. The ancient spirit smiled, recalling her transformation during the war.

"Nightmare," he murmured. When Haku had been seriously injured, Chihiro released her power, revealing what had now- Nightmare. _You did it!_ Ryuu cheered. Instead of stopping, Ryuu and Haku flew up into the air. With a low growl, Chihiro leaped into the air, slamming into the two. _This is getting better_, Haku grinned. He summoned a wave of water from the sea, ready to fall over the three. Ryuu called to his wind, hearing furious winds as if a hurricane would soon form. "What will you do, Chihiro?" Daichi wondered, calmly standing in the middle of the clashing elements.

_Let's see if you can handle this_, the Dark Fear hissed. The dragon roared, creating flames around herself. It was as if her mane was black flames flickering with the summoned fire. At once, the three clashed together. Spirits gathered outside, watching as a bright light engulfed the three spirits. After the light faded away, Ryuu, Haku, and Chihiro stood in a triangle. "That was the best fight in a long time," Ryuu sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Excellent," Daichi clapped, walking towards them. "How are you feeling, Chihiro?" The girl shrugged, feeling normal as usual. "Before the impact," Haku remembered. "I saw Chihiro using a force field to protect herself. Is that what Zeniba was trying to awaken in her? Magic?" Lord Daichi only smiled and walked away. "This is our training for today," he concluded. "I will see you all in a few days." He strolled down to the stroll, gradually disappearing. 'Now that this is done," Haku spoke. "Why don't we begin to make your katana?" Chihiro smiled, prepared and excited to make her katana.

She followed the two spirits to Kamaji, hearing them chuckle and comment about each other during their fight. _How's my power?_ the Dark Fear smiled. The spirit could not word her feelings. _It was exhilarating_, she thought. _You're surprisingly following the deal_. She heard the dragon laugh again. _Don't think I'll obey you every time_, it warned. Softly laughing, she noticed the two dragon spirits were staring at her. "You alright, Chihiro?" Ryuu frowned. "I know you've just healed from Zeniba's spell, but…"

Chihiro shook her head. "I'm fine," she assured. "I'm just thinking to myself." They continued their way to the boiler room. "It's been a while, Kamaji," Haku greeted. Kamaji, being busy like always, stretched out three of his hands to shake their hands. "Great to see you three," he grumbled. "Now what do you want?" Chihiro stepped forward, hearing the tiny squeaks of his henchmen. "We came here to make my new katana."

Kamaji suddenly stopped working, slowly turning to the three teenagers. Leaning close to Chihiro's face, he adjusted his glasses. "You think I would let you use my tools to make you a sword?" Ryuu and Haku tensed, wondering what the spirit would say. Chihiro blinked, calmly nodded. "I'm your granddaughter, aren't I?" Although the two dragon spirits did not know what she was talking about, Kamaji and Chihiro remembered.

For a moment, the spirit continued to stare at Chihiro. He gave a wide smile, giving a loud cackle. "You surprise me, Chihiro," Ryuu sighed. Kamaji continued his work, using half of his arms to bring them the materials. "Where are your materials?" Kamaji asked. The wind spirit held out a bag, spilling out the pale round rock, volcano crystal, and the handle from Chihiro's previous katana.

As they melted the rock, Ryuu carefully combined the melted crystal along with it. "We need something from Chihiro's Human World and her magic," he finished. The girl blinked. _I don't have anything from the Human World-_ She felt the necklace around her neck. Taking it off, she dropped it into the steaming material. For a few hours, Haku and Ryuu took turns pounding the katana into a shape. After dipping it into the water once again, the wind dragon glanced at Chihiro. "We'll need your magic now," he called out.

Looking up from playing with Kamaji's henchmen, Chihiro stood up and focused her magic. Sparkles appeared from her palm, flowing into the sword. For a moment, the blade glowed, turning back to a dull silver color. "Just wait a little longer," Haku said, wiping his sweat away. As time passed, even Kamaji had slept after a good day's work. Ryuu and Haku stared at the shining katana after it was finished. "Hey, Chihiro-"

Haku turned around, wondering why he hadn't heard from her. She slept beside the little tunnels that the black sootballs resided in. Curled up in a ball, she clung onto a pillow Kamaji had given her earlier. "Thanks Ryuu," Haku nodded to him. The wind dragon leaned the katana against the wall before leaving. Haku took a blanket, covering Chihiro. "Good work," he sighed, thinking to himself in the quiet boiler room.


	12. Second Years

Wearing her orange kimono, she slipped into her black cloak and geta. Walking towards the mirror and glancing at herself, she gave an excited smile. Chihiro was going to return to Seishin Academy as a second year student. Turning back to her futon, her new sheathed katana laid there. She rummaged through her pocket, finding the talisman that sealed her powers. Taking the katana, she placed the paper onto the blade.

It immediately disappeared, leaving the markings on the blade. When others read it, it would disguise the words into saying 'spirit'. Her hair slowly turned silver, while her brown eyes brightened to an ocean blue color. Determined, she swung the strap over her shoulder and made her way down to the front of the bathhouse. Greeting the spirits and saying goodbye, she made her way to Haku and Ryuu. As usual, Haku wore a blue kimono with a hakama.

Since Ryuu was now a fourth year, he had his own style. Wearing red pants similar to humans clothing, he had a loose shirt and a few accessories. Wearing brown boots and gloves, he could easily blend in with the humans. "Had a good night's sleep?" Haku smiled. Chihiro finally reached them, only to be followed by Yubaba and Daichi. "I will see you three in the academy," Daichi spoke. "I have some business to attend to. If I may leave first…"

He gave a wave, disappearing. The witch sighed, adjusting her large sparkling rings. "Lord Daichi has warned me that this school year will be tense. Be careful and watch your backs." Nodding, the three began to leave the bathhouse once again. Preparing to fly, Haku and Ryuu reached their hands out to the girl. The spirit softly laughed, taking both of them. The dragons silently glared at each other, holding Chihiro's hands tightly.

The three flew up into the sky, making their way towards the academy. "Welcome!" Ms. Lulu greeted, her usual bright and energetic personality spreading to all of the spirits. The three separated to their own classes. Glancing at her paper, Chihiro realized she was in class 2B. Noticing someone holding up a sign that read her room number, she headed towards it. "Sen!" a voice exclaimed. She found that 2B was still filled with the same students from the year before.

The girl who called to her was Yui. Her hair grew longer, allowing her to tie it into a small ponytail. "Isn't this exciting?" she cheered. "So many new spirits and the fourth years graduated!" Sen smiled at Usagi, who was still shy as usual. "Look, here comes the princess," she heard Ichiro sigh. Wearing bright makeup and sparkling jewelry, Suzume made her way towards 2B. "Great to see you guys again," she spoke with a sweet voice. Her eyes revealed that she was not happy to be in the academy.

"It's time for everyone to begin another year in Seishin Academy!" Ms. Lulu cheered. "Please follow your spirit to your classroom and begin learning!" Following the spirit who was holding up the sign 2B, the six students, began their second year. Finding a new teacher sitting at the desk, he warmly greeted the spirits. "You can all call me Merey sensei," he smirked. Noboru blinked. "A-Aren't you are training teacher too?" Ichiro asked.

The spirit gave a thumbs up. "Correct! Now, let's see if I still got your names." For a moment, he stared at each spirit. Pointing at Yui, he said, "Yuki. Utano. Sakura. Iwa. Noriyuki. And Sen." The spirits gave him dark looks. "You only got Sen's name right!" Suzume snapped. Kal Merey blinked. "Then was that another class?" He thought to himself, muttering something they could not hear. "Anyways, sit down. And don't talk too much Suzume."

The boys snickered as they sat down. With Chihiro the last one to find a seat, she felt Kal's eyes stare into her. "Now, shall we start on history?" he announced. Tossing the books into the air and levitating them towards each student, he said, "Turn to page eighty two." Once the first class ended, spirits began to pour out of their classrooms. "So," Yui gave a sly smirk. 'Are you sure nothing happened between you and Ryuu senpai?" Chihiro sighed, brushing her silver hair back. "You're still thinking about that?"

The girl giggled. "I'm a curious spirit, Sen! So, is there anything? Or what about Haku sensei?" Chihiro tried not to blush. Usagi suddenly poked her cheek. "She's turning pink," she spoke. Yui's face lit up. 'I-It's not what you think guys," Chihiro muttered, clutching her book tighter. Before she could speak again, she bumped into someone and dropped her book. Looking up, she realized it was Lord Kurai. "I'm sorry," Chihiro spoke, avoiding his cold eyes. He only gave a nod, continuing to move through the courtyard.

Picking her book up, Yui and Usagi stared at the retreating founder. "I hear he has to do with the disappearance of students," Yui murmured. "It's still going on?" Chihiro thought. The girls made their way to the next class. Just as they were turning to the next corner, the spirit once again bumped into someone. Before she could snap at whoever bumped into her, a voice leaned close to her ear. "Sorry," he murmured, brushing his lips against her cheek. He took her hand, and secretly gave her something warm.

"Why is everyone running into you today?" Yui frowned. Chihiro turned around to see Haku walking away. She blushed, looking at what he slipped into her hand. It was a small pin decorated with a blue glass flower. Usagi peeked over her shoulder. "Pretty," Chihiro heard her murmur. Smiling to herself, she put her hair back and placed the pin to hold it back. Continuing their walk, the spirit's mind could only be filled with Haku.

Sitting down, Yui caught the glittering hair pin. "Could that have been…" she gasped. Startled, Chihiro covered it and leaned away from Yui's desk. "That guy who bumped into you was-" Looking around, she lowered her voice and leaned towards the spirit. "Haku sensei, right?" Chihiro immediately looked away from Yui's eager expression. Usagi, who sat on the other side of Chihiro, examined her face. "She's red," Usagi giggled. Yui clapped, while Chihiro tried to calm herself.


	13. The Sudden Change

"Sen, will you see me after class?" Kal Merey asked in the middle of reading. The rest of the class glanced at Chihiro, who also had no idea for his sudden call. After a few minutes passed, the bell finally rang for them to leave for lunch. "We'll meet by the bench," Yui whispered to her as she left with Usagi. With a quiet nod, Chihiro began to collect her books and go to Kal Merey as promised.

"You called for me, sir?" she sighed, stuffing the rest of her books into her bag. The teacher glanced up at her with a blank expression. "Ah yes," he finally recalled. "Please, sit." Curious as to what he wanted to talk about, she pulled up a chair and sat across from him. He put his glasses down and became to speak. "You're an excellent student," he began. "But I'm not sure if you should stay in this class for the rest of this year." Chihiro frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked patiently. "What I'm saying is you will be moved up a year," he explained.

For a moment, Chihiro stared at him. "Why all of a sudden?" she narrowed her eyes. She was comfortable being in this class, and all of her friends were in it. "It turned out the system was incorrect," he sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back. "You're a year older than your classmates, aren't you?" Chihiro nodded, but pointed out, "The boys are the same age as me, so why should I move up?"

Someone suddenly walked in, pushing the creaking door open. With a quick glance, Kal Merey pointed at the arrival of the spirit. "If you have any concerns, go to him." Chihiro frowned, prepared to demanded answers. As soon as she turned around to face him, she froze. Dressed in a black suit, his cold dark eyes looked down at her. "This is Lord Kurai, one of the founders of this academy." The spirit held his hand out to her, giving a silent greeting.

As she took his hand, she felt chills run up her spine. _As I thought, he's suspicious_, Chihiro thought. _Maybe this is a good advantage to investigate_. She stood up, following after Lord Kurai. "It was a pleasure having you in my class," Kal Merey waved. Once the door closed, he gave a mysterious look, quietly thinking to himself. "Let's see how this works out," he muttered to himself.

"Have your lunch break while you're at it," the spirit told Chihiro. "Afterwards, report to the third floor." Before she could reply, Lord Kurai walked away. _What's with him?_ she frowned. "Sen!" a cheerful voice suddenly broke through her thoughts. "What took you so long?" The spirit strolled over to Yui and Usagi, who had already begun their meals. "So?" Yui insisted. "What did Merey sensei tell you?" The teenager gave a hopeless sigh, sitting on the bench beside the girls.

"What?!" Yui exclaimed. "They're moving you up?!" "Sh!" Chihiro hissed. "Not so loud!" Yui ignored, continuing her complaint. "Why would Lord Kurai want _you_ to be in his class? We're already two weeks into school and they want you to be in a curses class?" Chihiro frowned. "Curses?" Usagi nodded, taking a sip of her drink. "Lord Kurai is the main teacher for the curses subject. Although not many make it into his class since it's not popular, there's a lot of talented spirits in his class."

Haku suddenly burst into Kal Merey's room, demanding, "Why did you let her go just like that?" The spirit gave a blank look at the panting dragon. "You look tired," he mumbled through his food. "You want some tea?" Haku gave a growl, banging his fist onto his desk. "What did Lord Kurai want with her all of a sudden-"

"You seem very interested in the student, Haku," Kal noticed. "What's your relationship with her? Why does she always go to the founders' office after classes?" The dragon spirit did not know how to respond to him. Muttering something under his breath, Haku left the questioning spirit with the slam of the door. Lunch had finally ended, allowing students to move to their main subject class. Catching the sight of Chihiro going up the stairs, he called out to her.

"Hey Haku," she greeted as she walked up the steps. "I see you're wearing the pin," he noticed, catching the blue sparkles in her hair. She gave a warm smile, passing the second level. "Do you know why Kurai wants you?" he suddenly questioned. The girl suddenly stopped in the middle of the staircase. They only had a couple minutes to get to their classes. She gave an uncertain shrug. "I don't know," she admitted. "But while I'm there, I could find any leads about it."

Haku took her hand, gently squeezing it. "I can make arrangements with Daichi," he insisted. "I don't want you to go up there alone." Chihiro gave him an assuring smile. With no one around, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll meet you at the fountain after classes, okay? I'll tell you what I did in his class." Still unsure about her venturing into a new class, he gave a hopeless sigh.

"Promise me you won't do anything to put yourself in danger," he sighed, brushing his bangs away from his face. "spirits will be wondering why a teacher would be coming out of a first year class to save a third year who's calling for trouble." The girl laughed. "I promise," she smiled. As she continued her way up the staircase, she muttered, "My friends are already on my tail about that." Haku watched as the girl disappeared from his sight. Hearing the bell ring, he made his way downstairs and back into his class.

With a deep breath, Chihiro opened the door, finding herself in a dark room. The maroon curtains covered the windows, leaving a few slivers of light to appear within the classroom. A few spirits silently sat in the desks, glancing at the new student. "Ah, welcome, Sen," Lord Kurai spoke, walking over to the girl. She swallowed slowly, closing the door behind her and following him to the front of the class. Once she got a full view of the classroom, she noticed that each desk in the second, third, and fourth row had moved up a level.

The teacher cleared his throat. "Due to the error made in the academy's system, our new student has come late." As he spoke, Chihiro took the time, to look at each of the spirits. They all had dark expressions, staring at her as if she was a helpless small rabbit. _It's okay, Chihiro_, she tried to assure herself. _This class is only for an hour, so don't panic, okay?_ "This is Sen," he finally introduced. Chihiro calmly gave a little bow, sitting wherever Lord Kurai told her to sit.


	14. First Day

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been posting chapters these past few weeks :/ I'll try to update whenever I'm free!**

_It's too dark_, Chihiro bitterly thought. She moved closer to the table, hoping she would catch the small ray of light. The classroom was silent; only the sound of chalk scraping against the board echoed through the room. Chihiro glanced at her classmate, who had his eyes fixed on the board. _What's with this class?_ she pondered. Realizing she was a couple notes behind, she scribbled down the notes before Lord Kurai erased them. "Lord Kurai," a student raised her hand. "When will we beginning the physical lesson?" Once Chihiro heard 'physical', she stiffened.

Lord Kurai set the chalk down, brushing the dust off of his hands. Before he could answer, there was a series of knocks on the door. Curious, Chihiro peeked up from her paper. Once he opened it, she noticed Ichiro with a box filled with papers. _What's he doing here?_ she frowned, twitching her fox ear. While the two below were softly talking, the student finally noticed Chihiro and gave a little wave. As he left, Lord Kurai shut the door and hid the box behind his desk.

"I believe we will begin now," he finally replied. With the snap of his fingers, the desks and chairs suddenly disappeared. While the rest of the students easily stood under the changing floor, Chihiro easily lost her balance and fell. "Are you all right?" her classmate asked. She looked into his dark amber eyes, finding nothing but enigma in them. "Yeah, thanks," she blinked, taking his surprisingly warm hands. "Looks like Koji's already into the new kid," a student snorted.

Koji narrowed his eyes, releasing Chihiro's hand. Chihiro followed after the rest of her classmates to the wall. Candles with bright flames lit the sides of the room, allowing her a better view of the classroom. "As you have written down, each of you will come forward to face the dark energy that will appear from this box." He picked the box up that Ichiro had brought him. _What was Ichiro doing with magic that's for a curses class?_

"What is it testing us on?" the girl from earlier asked. Lord Kurai stepped in front of the box, opening the top. Once he backed away a couple of feet, a dark shadow suddenly burst from out of the cardboard box. "This will test your fears," the spirit explained. "In order to return it back inside that box, you must perform a curse. Once you release your magic, the color will depend on your motion. Usually, the darker colors have a stronger resistance." _How am I going to make a curse when this is only my first day here?_ "Just watch me," Koji muttered under his breath. Stepping forward, he stood where Lord Kurai was.

With a nod, the teacher opened the box once again. Although the others could not see his fear, it was as though Lord Kurai could. Chihiro glanced at Koji's stiffening posture and the teacher's stern gaze. Before the shadow could approach him any further, Koji thrust his hand forward, releasing a purple cloud of magic. The shadow backed away as if it were afraid and was pulled back into the box. "As expected of Koji," a boy clapped slowly. Koji ignored his classmate's cheers, walking back to where he stood. "I'll go next," the girl smirked. Her heels clicked against the wooden floor, approaching the box carelessly.

Lord Kurai opened it once again, revealing the dark aura. For a second, it seemed as though the girl had shrunk back. _In my previous classes, we've never done anything like this in a classroom before_, Chihiro thought. _We would train in the arena, but this is a whole new level_. The girl finally mustered up her strength, summoning a flash of green magic at the shadow. After another blow, the dark energy returned to its box. Chihiro nervously watched as other students attempted the test. Being one of the last spirits, she finally stood up.

"Good luck, kitty cat," the girl chuckled. Ignoring her, she slowly stepped towards the center of the room, hearing her shoes clatter against the wood. Finally, she made it to the center. As if feeling her classmate's gazes stare right through her, the spirit gave a slight shudder. "Are you ready?" Lord Kurai questioned. The spirited tried to look calm. Nodding, she prepared for the dark blob of energy to appear. Just as she thought she could handle it, a terrifying image appeared before her eyes.


	15. Akira's Visit

"Akira, what a surprise!" Lin smiled, warmly welcoming the human. "It's good to see you again Lin," he replied, giving her a tight hug. "Did sis already leave for school?" The spirit nodded, bringing him into the bathhouse. "I'm afraid so," she sighed, ignoring the spirits that were hiding around the corner. "Did you need to speak to her?" Akira blinked, trying to find a way to speak whatever was on his mind. "It's… complicated," he admitted. "Can we go somewhere where the spirits aren't _eavesdropping_?"

Annoyed, Lin grabbed her towel, flinging it across the room. "Did you hear that?" she snapped. "You better not follow us!" Hearing snickers behind them, Lin grouchily dragged Akira upstairs. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked, sliding the door open. The human sat comfortably beside the table, twiddling his thumbs. "When I came a couple days ago," he started. "It seemed like all of the spirits were uneasy. Sure, they had smiling, bright faces in front of sis, but until they walked away it seemed like they were-"

"Afraid," Lin finished. Akira looked up and hesitantly nodded. Hearing a soft knock on the door, Lin gratefully took the plate from the spirit. She set the plate down, offering him tea and bread. "You remember that day when the valley was… gone, right?" Lin asked, trying to put it into delicate and short words. After he nodded, the spirit cleared her throat and took a sip of her tea. "Well," she spoke. "The spirits became uneasy if she were to go… out of control at any time. When you came a couple days ago, they were happy."

"They weren't really happy about celebrating the return of Chihiro, but…" Akira blinked, setting his warm cup down. "They were more relieved about her leaving for the academy," he guessed. Lin nodded. After that conversation, the two suddenly became quiet. The room next to them suddenly broke out with music, breaking their silent atmosphere. "Those spirits don't know when there's a serious conversation here, do they?" she gritted her teeth, tightening her fist.

Akira laughed, easing the tension from the spirit's irritation. "Well, I'm glad I got that off of my shoulders. Besides, sis isn't a bad person. Since she's at the academy, she can learn a lot of things about being a spirit." As he went on, Lin looked at him with a soft gaze. "Sure, she may be clumsy and stubborn, but that's what makes her my sister," Akira smiled.

The spirit gave a soft laugh, ruffling his hair. "You sure are a bit like Chihiro," she admitted. "Not to mention the looks." The boy blushed pink, making the spirit laugh even more. "Well, I've got to go back to work," Lin sighed, standing up. Akira followed her through the door. Before she could open it, she turned back to the human. "I trust Chihiro," she said with a serious tone.

"The spirits will come to trust her once again. When she first came here, it was the same. Once she finds a way to earn their trust, everything will return to normal." The boy nodded, giving her a quick hug. "Thanks Lin," he thanked. He left the surprised Lin in a rush. "I've got to go back before my mom yells at me," he called out. "I'll see you later, Lin!" Hearing his footsteps falter, Lin could not help but laugh again. "That Akira," she murmured, leaning against the wall.


End file.
